Imaging studies for evaluating gene therapy in translational research.

Molecular imaging of gene expression in living subjects is leading to significant advances in the field of gene therapy. Three different technologies have been utilized for monitoring gene expression: optical imaging, radionuclide imaging and magnetic resonance imaging. In the present review, we focus on the latest developments including multimodality approaches and recent imaging of human gene therapy to noninvasively determine the location(s), magnitude and time-variation of gene therapy. Continued development should lead to greater use of these technologies in gene therapy and also help to shed light towards optimizing gene therapy in preclinical models and in the clinical setting.: